Molecular Devices Corporation

Caliper Life Sciences, Inc.

Other

Mds Analytical Technologies (us) Inc.

Protein Discovery, Inc.

Dean G Hafeman

Calvin Y Chow

Harden M McConnell

Kimberly L Crawford

Roger A Kaye

David G Ogle

Calvin T Chow

Mark Wechsler

Michael M Lacy

Henry Garrett Wada

Howard Hunter Barney

John Wallace Parce

Gillian M Humphries

Aileen Zhou

Robert Giebeler

Nathan S Lewis

Richard Caprioli

Steven James Gallagher

Todd E French

Jeremy L Norris

Charles E Witkowski, Ii

Joseph H Jackson

Kilian Dill

Herking Song

Steven McNerney

Thomas J Smith

James B Harkins

Daniel Kuban

Anthony J Sanchez

Methods for removing a residue of one or more biological materials deposited on the walls of a microfluidic conduit in microscale devices are provided. In an example of the methods, one or more colloidal-size particles, such as colloidal silica particles, are flowed in a fluid within the microfluidic conduit having residues of materials previously deposited on the walls thereof to adsorb to the materials and to remove such deposits from the walls of the microfluidic conduit.

Methods for removing biological residue from capillary walls in microchannels

Photometric methods for determining optical pathlength of liquid samples containing analytes dissolved or suspended in a solvent are provided that rely on determining a relationship between the light absorption properties of the solvent and the optical pathlength of liquid samples containing the solvent. This relationship is used to establish the optical pathlength for samples containing an unknown concentration of analyte but having similar solvent composition. Methods are also provided for determining the concentration of analyte in such samples where both the optical pathlength and the concentration of analyte are unknown. The methods may rely on separately determining, at different wavelengths of light, light absorption by the solvent and light absorption by the analyte. Light absorption by the analyte, together with the optical pathlength so determined, is used to calculate the concentration of the analyte.

Determination of light absorption pathlength in a vertical-beam photometer

Analytical methods and devices are disclosed for separating low abundance analytes by electrophoretically driving the analytes through a sieving matrix to first remove high molecular weight species. Subsequently the remaining low abundance analytes are electrophoretically focused onto a capture membrane where the analytes become bound within a small capture site. After this step the capture membrane may be allowed to dry and then attached to a conductive MALDI sample plate.

Methods and devices for concentration and purification of analytes for chemical analysis including matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization(MALDI) mass spectrometry (MS)

Methods for reducing surface adsorption of biological materials to the walls of microfluidic conduits in microscale devices are provided. In an example of the methods, one or more colloidal-size particles, such as colloidal silica particles, are flowed in a fluid within the microfluidic conduit in the presence of one or more adherent biological materials (such as one or more proteins, cells, carbohydrates, nucleic acids, lipids and the like) to adsorb to the materials and prevent them from binding to the capillary walls of the microfluidic conduit. Other adsorption inhibition agents such as detergents and nonaqueous solvents can be used alone or in combination with colloidal particles to reduce surface adsorption in microfluidic conduits.

Methods for prevention of surface adsorption of biological materials to capillary walls in microchannels

Disclosed are photometric methods and devices for determining optical pathlength of liquid samples containing analytes dissolved or suspended in a solvent. The methods and devices rely on determining a relationship between the light absorption properties of the solvent and the optical pathlength of liquid samples containing the solvent. This relationship is used to establish the optical pathlength for samples containing an unknown concentration of analyte but having similar solvent composition. Further disclosed are methods and devices for determining the concentration of analyte in such samples where both the optical pathlength and the concentration of analyte are unknown. The methods and devices rely on separately determining, at different wavelengths of light, light absorption by the solvent and light absorption by the analyte. Light absorption by the analyte, together with the optical pathlength so determined, is used to calculate the concentration of the analyte. Devices for carrying out the methods particularly advantageously include vertical-beam photometers containing samples disposed within the wells of multi-assay plates, wherein the photometer is able to monitor light absorption of each sample at multiple wavelengths, including in the visible or UV-visible region of the spectrum, as well as in the near-infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Novel photometer devices are described which automatically determine the concentration of analytes in such multi-assay plates directly without employing a standard curve.

Apparatus and methods for optical illumination and/or detection with improved flexibility and/or read speed. The apparatus and methods may include mechanisms for selecting and switching between multiple excitation wavelengths and/or simultaneously reading from a plurality of sample sites. The apparatus and methods may be used with microplates, PCR plates, cell culture plates, biochips, chromatography plates, microscope slides, and other substrates for high-throughput screening, genomics, SNPs analysis, pharmaceutical research and development, life sciences research, and other applications.

Light detection device

The present invention relates to a photometric device for measuring optical parameters. The invention functions in the ultraviolet light range through use of a monochromator and splits the test light in multiple channels by a rotor assembly, including a mirror.

Photometric device

Vertical-beam photometer for determination of light absorption pathlength

A method and apparatus for determining the fluorescence, luminescence, or absorption of a sample is provided. The sample may either be contained within a cuvette or within one or more sample wells within a multi-assay plate. A combination of a broadband source, a monochromator, and a series of optical filters are used to tune the excitation wavelength to a predetermined value within a relatively wide wavelength band. A similar optical configuration is used to tune the detection wavelength. In one aspect, multiple optical fibers are coupled to the excitation source subassembly, thus allowing the system to be quickly converted from one optical configuration to another. For example, the source can be used to illuminate either the top or the bottom of a sample well within a multi-assay plate or to illuminate a single cuvette cell. Similarly, multiple optical fibers are coupled to the detector subassembly. In another aspect, the excitation light and the detected sample emissions pass to and from an optical head assembly via a pair of optical fibers. The optical head assembly is scanned across one axis of the sample multi-assay plate. The multi-assay plate is mounted to a carriage assembly that scans the plate along a second axis orthogonal to the first axis. In another aspect, an optical scanning head assembly is used that includes mirrored optics for coupling the excitation source to the sample and the emitted light to the detector.

Optical system for a scanning fluorometer

A method and apparatus for determining the fluorescence, luminescence, or absorption of a sample is provided. The sample may either be contained within a cuvette or within one or more sample wells within a multi-assay plate. A combination of a broadband source, monochromator, and a series of optical filters are used to tune the excitation wavelength to a predetermined value within a relatively wide wavelength band. A similar configuration is used to tune the detection wavelength. In one aspect, multiple optical filters are coupled to the excitation source subassembly, thus allowing the system to be quickly converted from one optical configuration to another. In another aspect, the excitation light and the detected sample emissions pass to and from an optical head assembly via a pair of optical fibers. In another aspect, an optical scanning head assembly is used that includes mirrored optics for coupling the excitation source to the sample and the emitted light to the detector. In another aspect, time tags are recorded for samples contained within a multi-assay plate to monitor compositional time dependent properties or to ensure the accurate comparison of individual samples.

Optimization systems in a scanning fluorometer

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Hillsborough, CA, United States of America

Dean G Hafeman